Instructions

Put the white beans in a 4 quart pot with water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, boil for 3 minutes, remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour, drain and rinse beans return to the pot.

Add 5 cups of water, onion, 2/3 of the garlic, beef-boillon cubes, salt to taste, thyme and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the tomato paste.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Layer half the cooked beans in a 4-5 Quart ovenproof cassarole dish. Top with the chicken thighs, then scatter on the kielbasa and the remaining garlic. Add the remaining beans and all the liquid. Toss the fresh bread crumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened and spread them over the on top of the beans.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Stir the bread-crumb crust into the top layer of the beans. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 45 minutes longer or until the beans are tender.

Let stand out of oven for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with some good french bread and white wine to drink.

Author's Comments

This dish takes some time to prep. But is very well worth the time. I try to make this for a lazy Sunday Family Dinner.